MALKANGIRI: Incessant rainfall for the last three days has led to a rise in the water level of many rivers and nullahs, thereby disrupting road communication in several areas as the water was flowing above several low-lying bridges across the district.
Communication between Malkangiri and Motu on National Highway-326 has been snapped as rainwater is flowing around three feet above the low-lying bridges at Kangrukonda and Potteru. Inter-state communication between Malkangiri and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana also remained cut off due to the inundation of the low-lying bridges. Hundreds of vehicles and people were seen stranded on either side of the submerged bridges.
Kalimela town too remained cut off from Podia as water was flowing 3-4 feet above the low-lying bridge near Kalimela Kanyashram. Official sources said the water level in Chitrakonda Dam has increased by around 2.5 feet in one day due to the heavy rains. Similarly, the level in Satiguda Dam increased by two feet following the downpour.
As communication remained disrupted, around 132 students couldn’t reach their respective examination centres to appear for 4th-semester tests in different degree colleges on the day. Sources said a number of students failed to reach the examination centres at Malkangiri College, MV-79 College, Balimela College, Gopabandhu Anchalika Mahavidyalaya, Mathili Gopabandhu Das Anchalika Mahavidyalaya, Govindpalli Biju Patnaik College and Kudmulgumma College. The ongoing Plus II admission was also affected in different colleges due to the rains.
Kalimela tehsildar Chainu Gond said rainwater was flowing above the bridges at Kangrukonda, Potteru and Kalimela Kanyashram. “We are keeping a close watch on the situation. The administration will begin a survey to assess the damages from Thursday,” he informed.
Sources in the district emergency office said in the last 24 hours, Malkangiri received a total rainfall of 943.3 mm. Chitrakonda block received the highest 199 mm rainfall followed by Korukonda (185 mm), Malkangiri (183.2 mm), Kalimela (114 mm), Podia (95 mm), Khairput (88 mm) and Mathili (79 mm).